Yesterday,the mail carrier was loaded down coming into artstream. Beautiful hearts flowing into the gallery and two flat envelopes from afar. One was completely constructed out of SCRAP mail and gorgeous stitching, the other was tiny and kraftpaper colored. The first was from Danny Mansmith - Chicago's premiere textile artist and the second was my little print from Pretty Darn Swell.Inside of Danny's envelope (who cares? the outside was so beautiful!) was this little sewn paper flower and his paperwork for his upcoming exhibition at artstream in March. We are thrilled to show his work alongside another - soon to be mentioned - let me keep you in suspense for a little longer - sculptural artist. Inside the Pretty Darn Swell envelope was not only my print, but some postcards to send to friends and another postcard, of Wade and Lynn, masterminds behind the gallery. So that's what's on my desk at the moment. I just love mail.

January 29, 2007

Raegan Russell has had work in our gallery before. I adore the textural layers and underlays of mystery that each piece she creates evokes. Shown here is one of her three "moths" for our lovely hearts exhibit. They are all monotypes and her words explain the idea of moths, love and symbolism contained there of:

The moth may be a symbol for love and the transformation of spirit that happens through love. The nocturnal flight of the moth, drawn to its beloved, the light, charts the territory of how we are drawn to each other, sometimes innately or blindly. I started drawing and painting moths into my work several years ago and they still creep into the imagery quite frequently. From an artist's standpoint they are a compelling image: beautiful and sensual, a flying creature-sometimes brightly colored-topped with a ridiculous furry little head.

photos from Adolie DayAdolie has sent over a few emails and photos for the past month and I almost forgot to put up her work here. The Lovely Hearts has kept me rockin, so I am so sorry Adolie!Her work is fun and girlie (my two daughters LOVED it!) and graphically pleasing with unexpected color choices. Adolie is working as a textile designer for Kenzo, among others and is exhibiting on February 1st in Paris at the"Librairy des 3 Hiboux" au "BON MARCHé-PARIS".She has a sweet little blog -- en Francais -- at Adolie Day. Go check it out, her work is fun and fanciful!Bonne Chance Adolie!

January 25, 2007

Street Level in Portland OR. I have been watching Klutch and his work and others there for a couple of years via links from the Zeitgiest gallery and the amazing gel transfer guru: Paul Fujita. These new digs of Street Level sport very cool pillows - (the one above is a very affordable $39 includes shipping) and a mural that just doesn't quit. I also love the deer/antler tee by Chain Gang. All for sale at Street Level and via the web here.Click on.

January 24, 2007

Oh my. All in one day! Thanks to Grace for mentioning my print today at design*sponge paired up with Matthew Feyld's lovely print! Thanks to Matthew Feyld aka Driftwould for giving me the heads up on our being paired together at Juxtapose with our Pretty Darn Swell prints. how utterly wonderful! thanks! Matthew's print is fabulous and I am going over there now to buy it - how about you? $20! what a deal! art for everyone.

prettydarnswell is an online gallery doing charitable works with artists.They take submissions from artists to create high quality prints to sell. The selection is fabulous. Many neat things to buy! And AFFORDABLE. And the best part - a portion goes to the artist's charity of choice.Mine is up today for a month. $5 of the sales of my print "winter" go to The Mayhew Program. I worked for the Mayhew program in the late 70's and believe in it's mission and have seen the results. Wont' you consider clicking over and taking a peek?It's an affordable gift for yourself or a friend and it helps out a program which is most deserving.

January 23, 2007

Tonight was adult painting classes. I threw them a curve. Donuts- as still life. They handled it well. Beautifully actually.Me? Here is the set up. Complete with the New Yorker Jasper Johns article.Seems like it's the secret life of fruit again ... a couple of cozy apples beginning to emerge on this little 6x6 canvas.Who knows what is in store for their saucy romance?

Two great works which I have to show you here because I just love their innovative style.Andrea Pratt from Vancouver is shipping this small art painting here for the show and Lesa Morrissey from Hampton, NH dropped this beautiful wool hooked journal off yesterday. The journal also has needle punch work as an applique inside of the front hooking.Both unique, both love Hundertwasser! Wish they could meet up here for the opening!

We have received so many entires in the past three days, I am running to catch up.Bear with me... they will be in the shop this week! For now, check out the details of each and every lovely heart at our flickr spot.

the word for the day is ... crop ... as in something which grows in the garden, a photo (or 2) and the legs of a pair of pants being refashioned into something new!

January 22, 2007

After ordering beautiful cards from Sub-Studio via the tip off from the wonderful - ever something new - freshest finds blog and shop - design sponge, I sent Anna and Sean an invititation to submit work for our Lovely Hearts exhibition.

Sub-Studio, (Anna Corpron and Sean Auyeung) is an inerdiscplinary design practice and also make beautiful cards, prints and these two lovely heart submissions for the Lovely Hearts show. Keep an eye on this blog for more works of the exhibition - there is something for everyone - and they are going fast out of the shop! All works sold in this exhibition will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.Thank you Anna and Sean for beautiful work!

January 20, 2007

me and the metroNadeja the wonderful, at the beautiful, hip, every-post-a-wonder, blog Pan-Dan tagged me. I was fraught with hmmm what to write but then found out it was also National de-Lurking week, (what a riot!) so why not start with myself? Six oddities which are not perhaps known about me starting below.1.Coffee is my addiction of choice and I would move to Italy, just for the coffee if I could.2.Black licorice and anise makes me gag.3. I am not a snappy dresser. Most of my clothing is ruined with paint or paint removers.4. I adore high fashion but see #3.5. I love being my age (49) and being my internal age (11) simultaneously6. I have an unnatural fear of mice.So tell me something about yourself below, feel free to come out from behind that lurk, and I tag Willie, Susanna, Cally, Ulla and Mary Anne.

January 19, 2007

Another two minute drawing, this time for Illustration Friday. What is a superhero? To me, it would be my husband. Or that cute little waterfront lifegaurd. This drawing is the lifegaurd. Just to be clear. Go see some fabulous super heros at IF!

A new mosaic for what we have uploaded so far into our photo banks... all to be in the shop, buy ahead if you wish, but they will not be shipped until Feb. 10th. Thanks to all of the generous hearts who have been working hard on this show with us. Your contributions are not only heart felt, but your stories of why you are participating have moved me to tears. Still time to get in - please consider it or spread the word through your blog.

Random surfing through etsy uncovered these unique cards for the V-day or other "sweet note" days... I love her use of vintage comic books in these note cards which are available here.She also is working on a series of illustrated song titles. This one caught my eye and before I saw the title, I just knew it was Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks. Great interpretations and lovely silk screened prints. Go see these and more of her work at estasketch - her etsy shop!

Meghan Samson "insectual parts of humans" mixed mediaSome more of the gallery show. Megan Samson's work is organic and complex with the themes from her drypoints entwined into her sculptures. She pit fires much of her pottery work and uses wax to mold the textiles and tea bags which appear on her sculptures.I love the delicacy of her pieces.

The word for the day is ... slow... as in national slow down week. LOVE IT. EMBRACE IT.

January 17, 2007

Willie Baronetprint of "flowers weaving color" 8x10We have received so many requests for a "little more time" on entries for the Lovely Hearts exhibition, that being the soft heart, we buckled in. No excuses now folks, you have until January 31st, midnight eastern seaboard time to get those entries in.That will mean however, if you are more than a week's mailing time away, you will have to hasten your shipping service to us. We need all the entries in hand by Feb. 8th so we can put the work into exhibition.Thank you all to each and everyone of you who has sent work in to us already! I am chipping away at getting them into the shop so people can purchase these lovely hearts. Shipping of items will be after the opening on Feburary 10th.I am going to try and get as many entries into the blog over the next two weeks too - so bear with me, they are coming! Thanks too, for all the blog support of this project!

Everyone loves a great collaborative blog. One of the finest is having a birthday...Whip up turns one! Celebrate by creating a new banner and button for their blog.Click here for details all you graphic designer types! Win great prizes!

January 16, 2007

Today we finally have some white covering/blanketing our out of doors scenery. Our studio is back in order now that the guests have left and the flu is gone. I enjoyed sitting at my new table next to the window this morning just gazing at the glaze outside. It is inspiring to gaze out the window sometimes.Here is the scene from that window in a two minute drawing... a scribble really. Maybe we have to start a two minute drawing group in flickr. So many people mentioned trying it out? What do you think?

Here is something rather amazing that my daughter made at age 10. She loves Egyptian motifs and patterns. Last night she said she might make an entire sarcophagus, mini size of course. I don't how she comes up with these things, but one can always envy the creative mind of a child.

January 15, 2007

Here are some old illustrations from a dear friend, mon amie, Agnes. (I am hoping that she isn't too mad at me for showing them to you.) She and I met 7 years ago this month at a very- new -at- that time site called "isketch". It is an online pictionary type game which , whoo hoo, was i thrilled to find. Finally, someone would play pictionary with me!The young man who created it, Robert Wahlstedt is from Sweden, a great person and talented beyond belief as a programmer and designer.We all decided to meet up in NYC when his brand new game was up for a prize from Macromedia. Six friends from five countries! It was amazing.Agnes is from Paris, but recently moved to Montreal with her husband. She works for Editions Boreal, a fine book publisher. She had them take a look at my artwork and they ended up using a monotype for a cover!She is a wonderful artist, amazing cook, fashionable beyond belief, and was one of the first people I met through the internet who became a dear close friend. I can't wait until she finishes her degree in design and has time to sketch again! We can't wait to go back to Paris and stay with her lovely parents. But first we must have some time together in Montreal again!The word for the day is ... LOBSTER .... just because.

It was an icy cold afternoon, but we still pressed on with the opening for "Three Dimensions" yesterday afternoon as scheduled. A nice non "football" influenced crowd (pats apparently won a big game... er... ?) and the show went on! A few more shots over at flickr.

The word for the day is ... rise ... above the clatter, a loaf of bread and onwards and upwards!

January 12, 2007

Fun and games again as it's Friday, Illustration Friday.. this is called Granny Love. She's an old fairy - in her 80's. Tee-hee. (the prompt was 80's) She is part of my two minute sketches I started a few nights ago before bed.They are all on 6 by 6 inch heavyweight paper so it doesn't bend while I draw in bed.Illustration Friday is so much fun and today I was shocked by being "Pick of the Week". Oh my goodness, what an honor! Thank you Penelope! Go over and see some real 80's sort of entries, you know, big hair, shoulder pads and what not. Oh yes! Don't forget to make your lovely heart too!

January 11, 2007

First it was these fabulous pillows ... now Pippa has a brand new bag. Silk Chairs! They are so beautiful I was thrilled to see them in the inbox. They are from her "bespoke" line and she says this about it:Pippa can meet you on an appointment at your home or at her studio. She can show you her large portfolio of textile fabrics. With her guidance she can help you decide the fabric you want to best suite the look you are going for in your room.Pippa can source furniture pieces for you, or can upholster existing furniture. The furniture can range from chairs, sofas, room divider screens etc… She will also paint / treat surfaces on the furniture to compliment the fabric.Now that my friends, is art! More at Pippa's lovely sitehere.

January 10, 2007

A bird filled blind for a window - I saw this at the ever eye popping Italian blog:pan-dan. And can be purchased here. Window treatments are tough for us here at home, as we are a light lovers and draft dodgers at the same time. (little known fact in america - germans are afraid of drafts ... no no not the kind on tap...) I think this could be cute (for awhile) in our studio.

The word for today is ... twitter ... as in the machine illustrated by Paul Klee, a little laughter and a litter of twits!

January 09, 2007

rocks and water seriesOne of our gallery artists - Alex de Steiguer has an article in this month's Yankee magazine. Her film photographic work is absolutely stunning and very representative of the raw beauty of our beloved Isle of Shoals here in NH. (ok ok, one island is in maine...) In this place she lives out the winter as a caretaker. It is a place most lucky people only visit in the summer. It is ten miles out to sea, rich with history and as her stunning silver gelatin images show - full of natural beauty. Alex has work available here at artstream, as well as galleries in Boston and beyond. Her work is also part of the permanent collection at the DeCordeva Museum in MA. More images at her site and soon to come in our gallery yet again.

Some new jewelry has been floating into artstream from a local artisan - Rae Ann Wilson. I love the lacy look of this crocheted beaded bracelet. I can not imagine working with wire in this manner, but she loves to! Shown on a velvet scarf from the Melting Pot in Brooklyn.

January 08, 2007

What can I say that I have not already said about Mary Anne Davis's pottery? Most likely nothing! These new pieces we just received are stunning with the deepest blue glaze juxtaposed over the taupey exterior. They just feel SO good in your hand. Come by and pick one up and see. This set we are calling "dessert set" One cup, one icecream bowl and one cake plate. A cute gift for someone or just treat yourself! YUM!

January 06, 2007

8x8x3 ink,acrylic and gold paintIF prompt: Buzz : fireflies do buzz when in groups and if the weather here holds out, we will have a second crop of Swiss Chard and fireflies to light our way tonight. Egads! January in New England? I enjoyed using irridecent gold paint for the "glow" on this one.( This was done this summer for the "What is Home" exhibition in Portsmouth and won best in show at the Market 100 Exhibition. I have decided to add it to the shop because honestly, you can't keep em all.)Don't forget to enter your artwork into the "Lovely Hearts" exhibtion and if you were looking to add the "Lovely Hearts" button, the code is found here. Hope you are all buzzy creating your Hearts! And do drop by again - Lovely Hearts entries will be shown here and here and here!

glass bubbles in the north windowjudith heller cassells etching in the racklooking street-ward with the new work installedLots of busy-ness this past week in the gallery. Thank you for the earlybird submissions to the Lovely Hearts exhibition! There is an entire two walls being held for those lovely hearts to pour into... just waiting to see what you all come up with! Beautiful beaded lovlies from Sandyand Stephanie - and some two dimensional work which I dont have links for - but will put up into the shop pronto! We are completely loving the different media pouring in! Something crochet and/or knitty would be lovely ... hint hint Regina... or perhaps quilty or postcardy would be neat too...You will see a few to start at the shop this coming week, where they will be cataloged until the sale begins on Feb. 10th. Preview them here at the shop.Still feeling a bit "punky" so I will let the photos help tell the story. (hmm, if I am really feeling punky, maybe I should whip out some Meat Puppets music and really get into it)

The word for the day is ... please supply it in the comments section ... ah - choo, and thank you!

January 05, 2007

Ok a little braggin going on here - but darn if this isn't the cutest thing ever made from duct tape, by my daughter Chloe? This is the first one, too small for the shuffle, but could be wonderful for some other little items in one's handbag? Anyway, I lifted the flap a little so you can see the tiny velcro closure. It has earned her a place in the shop where her next models for the shuffle and other tiny mp3 players can be stored.More to come later as we are admist hanging a new show!The word for the day is .... weather .... as in UNDER the weather (yes, I am), climate change and Stormy Weather - one of my favorite jazz numbers.